Fire extinguishing method and means



Feb. 9, 1943. G. scHAAF.

I FIRE EXTINGUISHING METHOD AND MEANS Filed Aug. 15, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Qeqggfe 5c Zzaaf ,1 G.SCHAAF 2,310,552

FIRE EXTINGUISHING METHOD AND MEANS Filed Aug 15, 1941 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Qeogge Sclzaaf BY TTNEY Feb. 9, 1943. SCHAAF 2,310,552

- I FIRE EXTINGUISHING METHOD AND MEANS F iled Au is, 1941 s Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR v geog ge Salwaf BY Patented Feb. 9, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FIRE EXTINGUISHING METHOD AND MEANS 20 Claims.

This invention relate in general to a method and'means for using carbon dioxide to extinguish fires andespecially to distribute carbon dioxide snow by the fluid pressure from a tank or container of liquid carbon dioxide under high pressure.

As ordinarily used for fire extinguishing purposes, the carbon dioxide is maintained under high pressure in acontainer and at ordinary temperatures this carbon dioxide is in liquid form. Suitable means are then provided for discharging the carbon dioxide fiuid from the container to be carried by piping or hose and discharged in a stream to blanket and extinguish a fire. When the stream is discharged into the atmosphere the liquid t xes, largely, a gaseous form and under certain conditions a portion of said stream of" gas will form a carbon dioxide snow.

Asis now well known CO2 snow is a desirable form to better lower the temperature and blanket and so extinguish a flame and various means have been devised to. create as much snow as possible from the discharging stream of fluid from a high pressure container.

Another method of using CO2 as a fire extinguishing medium isto maintain a quantity in a large tank at a low pressure so a large amount of CO2 can be discharged, principally as a gas, in a short time on to a fire. Withthis method the temperature of the CO2 is controlled and maintained near zero by a refrigerating system to avoid high pressures and heavy and expensive containers.

The amount of snow obtainable from liquid CO2 when discharged from a container is limited, so as a means of obtaining as much snow as is practically possible, in my present method I convert commercial CO2 into a snow by shaving it from blocks of dry ice and carry it in the stream of fluid flowing from a container of liquid CO2 to discharge and spread it onto a fire. In this Way I utilize all of the commercial dry ice as a snow and Without first liquefying and then losing a certain amount of snow in its discharge, and at the same time utilize Whatever snow may'be obtained from the liquid 002. In other words, if the practical limit ofsnow. obtainable from a quantity of liquid CO2 is-onethird or 33% snow, then discharging a fifty pound container of liquid CO2 about seventeen pounds of snow may be obtainable, while. by my method. of using a twenty five pound container ofliquid- CO2- and a twenty five pound block of dry ice shaved. into snow and. discharged withthe liquidgl obtain 2.50% discharge-oi snow anddisregarding. any snow obtainable from the liquid; This amount. of snow can" be increased by discharging fifty pounds of dry ice as snow;

with twenty five pounds of liquid to obtain a 66% proportion of snow.

The handlingjof. 0.02. as dryice/has been. made convenient by being; packed in balsa containers and it is easily insulated to prevent handlingloss as it has a. property of forming a fog to help protect itsv surface where: exposed. A blanket thrown. over. anopencontainer will: help prevent dissipation: of the protecting. layer of fog while. in process of. transporting and handling. However, sufficienti: insulation will reduce, all loss to a minimumandfor' extended storage an insulated subterranean stioragespace answers. all requirements.

There is always a loss in converting a. substance from one form into another and my method avoids these losses. as far as the dry ice used. My method is suitable for. permanent installations and' is especially adaptable for use on a mobile unit, as a truck, for firefighting. The loss. in handling, transporting and storing dry ice bysublimation can. be made small and. compared to. the'liquiddf'orm', is also compensated for, by the ease. in handling, the original cost and avoidance of expensive. containers.

- One'of the objects of. this invention is to provide-a method of using (3.02. dry ice as a snow to extinguish afire.

Another object is to provide a means of holding CO2 in its commercial form: and converting,

it-into snow to be discharged: on to a fire by a stream of fluid from a container of liquid CO2.

Another: object is to provide. means to. reduce and regulate the: pressure of: fluid from thecontainer to a shaver.

Another object. is. to provide means to dis.- charge one container at a time in a series-0t connected containers.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the: description proceeds, the invention consists in certain features of novelty in the methodv and in the: construction, combination and arrangement: of parts by which the said objects. are attained,the invention being more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings;

Figure 1 is. a. front elevation of means embod ying my invention and: shown partly in sec tion on lines Iaia, lblb and l:c-lc of Fig; 3.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged View of an elevation of a portion of the. shaver on line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of my apparatus as in Fig. 1, showing the arrangement of parts with a motor and Variable speed gear box.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a sectional cle vation of a carbon dioxide container with a fluid expanding siphon tube as in Fig. l but formed into a coil for additional expansion into the discharge line.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of the shaver at the discharge passage through said shaver as in Fig. 2, to show lining.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a quick acting discharge valve to be operated by a right hand rotated sleeve and shown in place on sectioned container IB in Fig. 1.

Fig. '7 is a sectional elevation on line 'l'I of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a valve as in Fig. 6 but operated by a left hand rotated sleeve and shown in place on container IA in Fig. 1.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of three valves as located on three containers connected in series and with the mechanism for operating said valves to discharge the containers in succession and one at a time.

Figs. 10, 11 and 12 are plan views of the valves, as in Fig. 9, to show the different positions of the valve discharge mechanism when said valves are operated.

Figs. 13 and 14 are plan views of a valve in closed and open position, as in Figs. 9 and respectively, but with a modified control mechanism partly in section on line I3 of Fig. 15.

Fig. 15 is a side elevation of a portion of the valve in Fig. 14 as indicated by line I5-I5.

Fig. 16 is an enlarged sectional view of the ratchet mechanism of Fig. 14.

Fig. 17 is a sectional view on line II-II of Fi 16.

Referring to the drawings of my fire extinguishing apparatus, one or more containers or tanks IA, IB, etc. of the usual steel cylinder construction and charged with carbon dioxide under pressure, can be used. 2 represents the liquid carbon dioxide and is shown in sectioned container IB. Each container has a discharge valve fastened into its top as by screw threads.

In the present construction, and as a convenient method of operation, to release the carbon dioxide from a series of containers one at a time in succession, a left hand operated sleeve to discharge valve 3L is provided for the first container IA, the third container IC, etc. The second and fourth containers IB, ID, etc., are provided with a right hand operated sleeeve to discharge valves 3R.

In Fig. 1 is shown an outfit for stationary use or a mobile truck unit but with only two containers IA and IB as sufiicient to illustrate them with their operating valves 3L and 3R. In Figs. 9 to 12 are shown valves 3L, 3R, 3L, in order as they would be located on a series of three containers, to be repeated as desired.

The discharge valves 3L and. 3R are preferably of a quick release type which can be operated individually and when connected in series, as shown in Figs. 1 and 9, can be operated in succession one after the other to discharge the CO2 from one container at a time. Thatis, the valve 3L of the first container IA is opened and as soon as container IA is emptied, the valve 3R of the second container IB is opened by the valve 3L, and so on with each of the containers connected in series.

This action of using the contents of only one coil for all of the containers.

container at a time has the advantage that only the containers, wholly or partly, discharged in extinguishing a fire have to be recharged. Where the valves of all containers are opened at the same time, all of the containers are discharging at once and so all containers have to be disconnected and recharged, while the amount of carbon dioxide used may only equal the contents of one container. This latter method is illustrated in the patent to Freygand, June 19, 1928, Number 1,674,427.

In Figs. 1 and 3, two containers IA and IB are shown connected into a main pipe 4 by branch pipes 5. Each branch pipe 5 has a check valve 6 which allows the carbon dioxide to flow freely from the container to the main pipe 4 but prevents the fluid flowing in a reverse direction, i. e. from the main line 4 into a container. In Fig. 1 container IB, shown in section, has a siphon tube I extending from the top of said container to near the bottom in the liquid carbon dioxide 2. The siphon tube "I has a small passage 8 at the bottom, with a graduated opening into said passage 8, and a passage which increases in size by successive steps as 9 and I0 to the top.

In this way a partial expansion of the fluid occurs in the siphon tube 1, depending on the amount of increase in size from the bottom to the top. In my Patent No. 2,143,635 I have a similar siphon tube but as an additional means for increasing and controlling the expansion of the fluid in the discharge system, I employ an expansion coil II. Coil II is shown in Figs. 1 and 3 in the main pipe line 4 and acts as a common expansion I2 is a housing for coil II with insulation I3. The branch lines 5 and the main line 4 are insulated by I4.

A shaver I5 having a body I6 with a chamber I1 is provided for holding blocks of dry ice I8 which are loaded into said chamber I1 through a removable insulated cover I9 at the top. As commercial dry ice comes in blocks the shaver chamber I! is of a square section and a size to accommodate the desired number of blocks to be used. The CO2, or dry ice I8, rests on a horizontally disposed rotating cylindrical cutter 20 with suitable cutting edges 2I which are formed about the periphery of said cutter by horizontally formed grooves 22 which are spaced apart and extend from end to end of said cutter 28. The ends of cutter 20 fits two sides of chamber I! and the bottom of said chamber is formed into a half circle to fit the periphery of the lower half of cutter 20 (shown in section in Fig. 2).

A passage 23, formed in body I6 and circular in section, extends horizontally through shaver I5 and is located in relation to the periphery of cutter 20 so that the grooves 22 of said cutter form a portion of said passage 23 when in register therewith. (Figs. 2 and 5.) The proportion of the area of a groove 22 to that of the passage 23 can be a small or a large percentage as desired. That is, the path 24 of the periphery of cutter 20 can pass across or below the center 25 of passage 23, instead of above said center, as shown, in Fig. 5. The passage 23 is lined with Lucite or other satisfactory material 25 to preventthe shaved dry ice or snow from sticking in said passage as it has a tendency to do on metal surface. The lining in the grooves 22 are indicated as 26'.

The ends of cutter 29 and the portions 21 of the periphery of cutter 20 between the grooves 22 serve to seal the passage 23 where it passes said cutter. Passage 23 is continued from shaver I5, through a hose 28, of suitable length with discharge nozzle or horn 29, and of the same size or larger as shown.

Cutter 20 is rotated by its shaft 39, pulley 3i, belt 32, variable speed gear 33 and motor 34.

The shaver i and its cover l9 have suitable insulation 35. Through the cover i9 is shown the stem 36 of a plate 3? which rests on the top of the dry ice l8 and having a cup 38 for holding weights 33 to regulate the feed of the blocks of said dry ice on the cutter 2!).

In Fig. 4 is shown an expansion coil 40 as a part of the siphon tube '1 to be used individually with a single container I, or with containers i A, !B, etc. connected in series, in place of the common coil H, or to supplement said coil H. Sip-hon tube E has a small passage 8 at the bottom, an intermediate passage 9 and its largest passage it through coil 40 into the valve 3. The action of the siphon I with its coil i9 is to reduce the pressure of the fluid from container l, which will ordinarily be about 800 pounds per square inch, to approximately 400 pounds or less as it leaves the valve 3 and so helps to prevent recoil of the container. Recoil prevention becomes more important with the higher pressures and also when the containers are manually handled. The action of the siphon 1 with its coil 4!! is, also, to provide a safety device to reduce the pressure in the container when conditions of outside temperature have in.- creased the pressure to such an extent that the opening of valve 3 will rupture the pipe or hose connected to said valve, as sometimes happens where the container pressure is carried through connections to a restricted discharge opening. And this condition is approached by loading the discharge passage with snow.

The function of coil ll, used either singly or with coil 48 as desired, is to reduce the fluid pressure in the rlischarge system to the desired point at the passage 23 of shaver l5 so as to discharge fire extinguishing snow and fluid a proper distance from nozzle 29.

In Figs. 6, '7 and 8 is shown a valve for discharging fluid from high pressure containers, as IA and IB of Fig. l. The valves of Figs. 6 and 8 are called right hand and left hand valves, respectively, and are identical in construction except for the releasing means which operate in a right hand and left hand direction, as explained presently. The valve of Fig. 6 is therefore referred to as ER and of Fig. 8 as 3L.

vIn the sectional view of 3R of Fig. '7, 6| is a body threaded at 12 for fastening into a container and having an inlet passage 43 extending. up into a valve chamber 44. A laterally extending boss with passage as communicating with passage 43, provides means for holding a nut 46 with a safety disk in the usual manner. Another laterally extending boss has a discharge passage d! from chamber 44 and is externally threaded for a pipe or hose connection. The opening and closing of passage 43 is controlled by a valve 58 having a stem 49 and a nut 50 with a compression spring 5! bearing against the bottom of said nut 50.

52 is a hollow bonnet threaded onto body A! to inclose a diaphragm 53 which is clamped, top and bottom around its edge, between said bonnet and body, as shown, to prevent leakage from said body ll and at the same time allow for operation of the valve 28 by means external to said diaphragm by flexing the central part of said diaphragm. Contacting with the top center of diaphragm 53- is a screw 54 'carried? by a crosshead '55 through which it is threaded. Crosshead 55 has sliding contact with the cylindrical chamber in bonnet 52 While screw 54 slides through the top of bonnet 52 for quick opening of valve 13. Turning screw 54 by handwheel 56 provides for opening or closing valve 48 independently of crosshead 55. 5! is a sleeve mounted on bonnet 52 with a limited rotative movement thereon and guided between a shoulder on said bonnet and a bonnet nut 53. Rotative movement is imparted to sleeve 5? by a handle '59. Two crosshead pins til extend through vertical slots 6! in bonnet 52 and the compound slots in sleeve 51. Said compound slots have a horizontal part 62 for locking cross head 55 in its lowest position and a diagonal part 63 in which said pins 60 travel when sleeve 51 is partly rotated by means of handle 59.

In the position shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 the crosshead 55 is locked in its lowest position by pins 60 in horizontal slots 62. Rotating sleeve 51 by means of handle 59 unlocks pins 60 from slots 62 and allows them to rise in diagonal slots 63 in said sleeve 51 and in vertical slots 6| in bonnet 52 when the crosshead 55 moves upward under action of valve spring 5i and the pressure in a container to open the valve 48. The spring 51 is preferably of sufficient strength to overcome the weight of valve 48 and to also balance the pressure of a ratchet operating spring described later in a modified control construction, as the fluid pressure in a container will open the valve.

Means for opening the valves in succession to discharge contents of containers IA, IB and IC, one at a time, is shown in Figs. 9 to 12. Extending through each handle 59 is a pivot pin 64. Valve 3L on container IA has a pull rod 65 connected to pin 54 and also a push rod 65 with a control spring 6? and a hook 68 for operative contact with pivot pin 64 of valve 3R on container IB. Also pivoted to pin 64 of 3R on corn tainer IB is a pull rod 69 with a control spring 10 and a hook H for operative contact with pivot pin 64 of valve 3L of container l0. 2'2 and 13 are guide pins for rods 86 and 69, respectively, and attached to the bonnet 52 of 3L (see also Fig. 6).

Means for closing each valve after its container contents are discharged, and so opening the valve of the succeeding container, is as follows: i4 is a pin, fastened into bonnet 52, and with a suitable are shaped rod 75, as shown, for holding a coil spring :6. Spring i6 is compressed by a pin 17, fastened into sleeve 51, and sliding over rod 15 when said sleeve is rotated.

Closed and open positions of valve 48, as shown by the position of sleeve 51, are indicated -.y radial line C for closed position, and by radial line 0 for open position, of handle 59, while radial lines C and O are closed and open positions of pin H. The arrow in each case shows direction of movement of handle -59 to open valve The operation of the valves is as follows: In Fig. 9 all Valves are closed and pulling rod 65 rotates sleeve 51 by handle 59, of valve 3L on container IA, from C to -O to unlock and release pins 60 from horizontal slots 62 (Fig. 8) when the valve 48 (Fig. '7) is raised and held open by the pressure in container lA until the CO2 is exhausted therefrom. When handle 59 moves from C to 0, pin T! moves from C to 0. Pin 'il contacts with spring H5, as the pins 60 (Fig. i 8) are unlocked from and leave horizontal slots 62, and the raising of valve 48 by its container pressure compresses and holds spring 16 compressed (Fig. 10) until the fluid pressure is exhausted, when the spring 16 rotates sleeve 51 back to its closed position C (Fig. 11) depressing crosshead 55 and closing valve 48.

When valve handle 59 of container IA is moved from position C of Fig. 9 to position of Fig. 10, hook 68 of rod 66 engages handle pin 64 of valve 3R on container IB and when the pressure of IA is exhausted and spring 16 rotates handle 59 of IA from 0 (Fig. to C (Fig. 11), rod 66 pushes handle 59 of IE from position C (Fig. 10) to position 0 (Fig, 11) opening valve 3R to discharge container I B. The fluid pressure of container IB in opening valve 3R compresses its spring 16 (Fig. 11) while hook 1| of pull rod 69 engages with handle pivot pin 64 of the valve 3L of container IC. Then the exhausting of fiuid pressure in container I B, by the discharge of its contents, will release spring 16 of 3R to move its handle 59 from position 0 (Fig. 11) to position C (Fig. 12), closing the valve 3R of IE and opening the valve 3L of IC by moving handle 59 of IC from C (Fig. 11) to 0 (Fig. 12) by means of rod 69. Thus any number of containers in series can be discharged one at a time.

It will be noted that in the operation of opening a valve, the sleeve 51 has only to be rotated a portion of its travel to unlock and release pins 60 from horizontal slots 62, when the fluid pressure in a container will operate the valve to full open position. A spring 16 is therefore not compressed until the valve is released to allow fluid pressure to compress said spring. Also the compressed spring has only to release a succeeding valve in the first portion of its travel and close it own valve by the balance of said travel.

The guide pin 12 is located to disengage the hook 68 of rod 66 from handle pin 64 near the end of its travel from its position in Fig. 10 to that of Fig. 11, so that when handle 59 of 3R. on container IB is in an open position 0 (Fig. 11) it can move to a closed position C as in Figs. 12 and 9 without operating valve 3L of IA.

In the same way guide pin 13 is located to disengage the hook H of rod 69 from the handle pin 64 near the end of its travel from its position in Fig, 11 to that of Fig. 12, so when the handle 59 on container l C is in an open position 0 (Fig. 12) it can move to a closed position C, as in Fig. 9, without operating valve 3R of container IB.

Figs. 13 to 1'1 show modified control means for closing the valves of a series of containers in place of the spring 16 in Figs. 9 to 12. The valve shown in Figs. 13, 14 and 15 is the valve 3L of Fig. 8 and the parts are the same as shown in section of Fig. '1. Mounted on the bonnet 52 is a cylinder 18 having a piston 19 with a piston rod 80 for compressing a heavy spring 8| and an oppositely disposed piston 82 with a piston rod 83 for compressing a light spring 84. Between pistons 19 and 82 is a port 85 which communicates with the valve chamber 44 by means of pipe 86.

Also mounted on the bonnet 52 is a bracket 81 with a pivot pin 88 for pivoting a bell crank having arms 89 and 90. Bell crank arm 89 is forked on the end and connected to the piston rod 80 by means of a nut 9I having two oppositely disposed pins 92 adapted to operate in slots 93 in the forked ends of said arm 89. Bell crank arm 90 is pivoted by pin 94 to a pull rod 95 resting on arm 96 which is connected to the sleeve 51. Pull rod 95 has a hook 91 for engaging with a pin'98 attached to arm 96. 99 is a spring on crank arm 90 to insure engagement of rod 95 with a guide pin I00 which is attached to bonnet 52. Rod 95 is formed, as shown, with a bend IOI for engagement with guide pin I00 to release hook 91 from pin 98 when in the position shown in Fig. 13.

On piston rod is fastened a sleeve I02 having ratchet teeth I03 for engagement with a ratchet pin I04 which is carried in a piston I05 (Fig. 16) and reciprocated with said piston I05 in a housing I06 by means of a bell crank I01. Ratchet pin I04 has a reciprocating movement in piston I05 and actuated outwardly by a spring I08 to engage ratchet teeth I03 when in the position shown in Fig. 16 and in Fig. 14. A pin I09, fastened transversely through ratchet pin I04, and sliding in slots IIO of piston I05, limits the travel of pin I04 and prevents it from rotating.

Bell crank I01, pivoted on pin I II, ha one arm II2 for operating piston I05 and another arm H3 connected to, and operated by, Piston 82 in cylinder 18 through the medium of a nut H4 on piston rod 83, a lever H5 and a rod H6. The lever H5 is pivoted on pin I I1 intermediate of its ends. One end of lever H5 is pivoted to rod H6 and its opposite end is forked and with slots II8 for sliding connection with two oppositely disposed pins H9 in nut II4.

As explained in reference to Figs. 9 to 12, closed and open positions of valve 48, as shown in the position of sleeve 51 by its handle 59, are indicated by radial line C for closed position, and radial line 0 for open position, while radial lines C" and O" are closed and open positions of arm 86.

The operation of the modified control means just described is as follows: Valve 3L is operated to discharge the contents of a container, as IA (Fig. 9) to which it is attached, by pulling handle 59 from closed position C, Fig. 13, to open position 0, Fig. 14, by means of rod 65. As soon as sleeve 51 is rotated sufliciently to release pins 60 from the horizontal slots 62, the valve 48 will be opened by the pressure from the container and discharge the CO2 from said container. The fluid pressure in valve chamber 44 now flows through pipe 86 and port into cylinder 18 and moves piston 82 from its position in Fig. 13 to its position in Fig. 14 to compress spring 84 and at the same time move ratchet pin I04 into engagement with ratchet teeth I03 on sleeve I02. This fluid pressure will also move piston 19, from its position in Fig. 13 to its position in Fig, 14,

to compres spring 8| where it is held by the ratchet pin I 04 and ratchet teeth I 03. The movement of piston rod 80 operates the bell crank arms 89 and 90 and the pull rod from their positions in Fig. 13 to their positions in Fig. 14, to engage the hook 91 of said rod 95 with the pin 98 on arm 96.

When the pressure is exhausted from the container it will also be exhausted from cylinder 18 and allow spring 84 to move piston 82 from its open position in Fig. 14 to its closed position in Fig. 13. The closing movement of piston 82 will withdraw ratchet pin I04 from ratchet teeth I03 and allow spring 8I to move piston 19 from its open position in Fig. I4 to its closed position in Fig. 13. The closing movement of piston 19 pulls rod 95 to rotate sleeve 51 by arm 96 from its position in Fig. 14 to its position in Fig. 13 and close valve 48 when the pin 60 move downward in slots 63 and 6|. The diagonal slots 63 move the pins 60 and the crosshead 55 downward, to close the valve, by the rotativemovement of sleeve .-r 51. Locking, the heavierrgoperating, spring -,8:| "in. 1. an open position insures the valve 48 being-mains; tained fully open withoutrestriction, during-dis: charge. 5

In the operation of the apparatus. shownin Figs. 1 to 5, a shaver. l5 havingacharge of dry ice is, produces a C02 snow by shaving it from the bottom of the charge of said dry ice when the cutter 25 is rotated by the motor-34 through the medium of belt 32' and variable speed gear 33.?The variablespeed gear 33 regulates the speed of said cutter Zflywhile the weights 35 provide means for regulating the depthof cut by the cutting edges 2! of cutter 251. Cutter- 15 is adapted to be rotated in either a forwarder I a backward direction so that both edges 2i of grooves22 can be used as cutting edges.

The operation of my apparatus is to first open container IA by pulling rod 55 to open valve SL 20.

on said container and discharge its contentsthrough pipe 4, expansion coil H, passage 23, hose 28 and directed on to a fire by nozzle 23. At the same time the shaver I5 is started and the CO2 snow fed into passage 23 is discharged 25.]

with the fluid stream from the container. The fluid pressure in the container is reduced to the desired. amount at the passage 23 of shaver 15 to propel stream issuing from nozzle 29 the proper distance, by expansion in siphon tube I and 30:

coil II, or by a siphon tube I. and-its coil til, when used.

When container IA is exhausted the control mechanism, as of Figs. 9 to 12 or Figs. -13 to 17,

operates to close valve 3L andopen valve BR of container IB by means of rod-66. Other c on-- tainers connected in series-are opened, as be-'- fore explained, by the closing of the preceding exhausted container, as c0ntainer-lC by rodliQ; On extinguishment of a fire any containen'which is being discharged, can be closed by turning-its handwheel 5B to seat its valve 48.

Having thus-described my invention, I claim: 1. A method of extinguishinga fire by a liquefied gas which is maintained at ahigh pressure; comprising passing'the gas in a stream through stages of expansion to a pressure above "the triple point, shaving dry ice to a snow. introducing said snow into said stream and discharging said stream of fluid and snow onto a fire.

2. A method of extinguishing a; fire by a liquefied gas which is maintained at a-high pressure; at ordinary temperatures, comprising passing the gas in a stream through stagesof expansion to a pressure above 78 pounds per square-inch, maintaining dry ice in an insulated'containery shaving said dry ice to a snow, introducing saidsnow into said stream and discharging said; stream of fluid and snow onto a fire.-

3. A method of extinguishing a fire which, comprises maintaining liquefied gas: at a high pressure at ordinary temperatures,releasing said gas and carrying it in a stream to be discharged from a nozzle onto a fire, producing a snow'fromdry ice and introducing said snow into said stream to be discharged therewiththrough said" nozzle. I

4. A method of extinguishing a flre by producing a stream of fire extinguishing fluid con--- taining a percentage of carbon dioxide snow in excess of the amount of snowproduced-ironiliquid C02 and comprising maintainingaquan- I tity of liquefied" gas at a high pressure at ordinary temperatures, releasingsaid liquefied gas 1 and carrying the .fluid in a stream to a point of discharge fromwhich it can be spread onto a fire, partially expanding, said stream of fluid from'the original quantity to the point of release to reduce the original pressure approximately one-half, producing a snow from dry ice and introducing said snow into said stream.

5. Apparatus for extinguishing a fire, comprising a container for holding a liquefied gas under'high pressure, means for holding dry ice in its commercial form, means connected with said dry ice holding means for shaving snow from said commercial dry ice, means having a passage to convey said liquefied gas from its container to a discharge nozzle and means to introducesaid snow into said passage conveying means.

6. Apparatus for extinguishing a fire, comprising a container for holding a liquefied gas under pressure, means for holding a quantity of dry ice, means forconverting said dry ice into a snow,-means having a passage to convey said liquefied gas in a stream from its container to a discharge nozzle, quick opening valve means to release said liquefied gas from said container into said conveying means and means to introduce said snow into. said stream of liquefied gas to be discharged therewith from said nozzle.

7. Apparatus for extinguishinga-fire, comprising a container for holdinga liquefied gas under pressure, a valve to dischargethe fluid from said container, means having a passage to convey the fluid from said container in aistream to a nozzle; chamber means for holding a quantity of dryice and means for shavinga said .dry ice into a snow, said. shaving vmeans including a cutter to convey said snow intopsaid stream andseal said chamber from said stream.

8. Apparatus for extinguishing a fire, comprising a container forholding a liquefied gas under pressure, a siphon in said container lead ing from near the bottom thereof, means having a passage to convey the fluid from said container in a stream to a nozzle, a valve to discharge the fluid from said container through said siphon and conveying means, means to form a snow external to said conveying means and means to introduce said snow into said stream intermediate of said siphon and said nOZZiQISELld snow forming means including an insulated dry ice chamber, a cylindrical cutter having grooves in its surface forming double cutting edges therewith, and snow repellent. lining means in said. grooves and contiguous passage means, said grooves forming a portion of said passagemeans when in register therewith.

9. Apparatus for extinguishing afire, comprising a container for holding a liquefied gas under pressure, a siphon in said container having pas sagemeans'leading from ,near the bottom to the top thereof, means having. a passage. to convey the fluid from'said container in a stream to a discharge nozzle, means for producing a dry ice snow, means to introduce saidsnow into said fluid stream, a valve-t0 release the fluid. from said container and a coil as a part of said passage means.

10. In means to prevent recoil at the container and excessive shock to the discharge system from the high pressure container of a C02 fire extinguishing apparatus, the combination of a container for holding liquefied CO2 at high pressure, a discharge system from said containerto a discharge nozzle, a quick-acting valve to release said CO2 into said-discharge system and means. in said discharge system to reduce the container pressure to said valve, said reducing means including a siphon in said container leading from near the bottom to the top thereof, and said siphon having a portion with a passage increasing in size from its inlet to a portion with passage of constant size to its outlet, said latter portion being formed into a coil.

11. Apparatus for extinguishing a fire, comprising two or more containers for holding liquefled gas under pressure, a discharge system from said containers to a nozzle, said discharge sysem including a main line and a branch line from each container to the said main line, a check valve in each branch line, a quick opening valve in each container, a sleeve on each valve, a spring connected to each sleeve, means to release the valve of the first container and discharge the fluid from said container into said main line, means operated by the fluid pressure 01 the released valve to rotate its sleeve and compress its connected spring and means to operatively connect said sleeves so the compressed spring of a released valve will release a succeeding valve.

12. In apparatus for extinguishing a fire, comprising two containers for holding liquefied gas under pressure, a discharge system from said containers to a nozzle and means to discharge said containers one at a time into said discharge sytem, said discharge means including a quick opening valve in each container, means to lock each valve in its closed position, means to release the lock means of each valve and discharge the fluid from its respective container, resilient means operated by the pressure of the fluid discharged from one of said containers, and means operated by said resilient means to discharge the fluid from the other of said containers.

13. In apparatus for extinguishing a fire, comprising two containers for holding liquefied gas under pressure, a discharge system form said containers to a nozzle and means to discharge said containers one at a time into said discharge system, said discharge means including a quick opening valve in each container, means to open th valve of each container to discharge its fluid contents, means to operatively connect said valve opening means and means actuated in the absence of pressure of the fluid after it has discharged from the first of said containers to operate the valve opening means of the second container to open the valve and discharge the contents of the second container.

14. Apparatus for extinguishing a fire, comprising two or more containers for holding liquefied gas under pressure and a discharge system from said containers, means to discharge said containers one at a time, said discharge means including a quick opening valve for each container, means to open each of said valves and resilient means for each valve, said resilient means operated by the fluid pressure during discharge of its container and said resilient means operating the opening means of a succeeding valve when released by the drop of said fluid pressure on completion of said discharge.

15. Apparatus for extinguishing a fire, comprising two or more containers for holding liquefled gas under pressure, a discharge system and means to discharge said containers one at a time into said discharge system, said discharge means including a quick opening valve in each container, means to open each valve and release the fluid contents of its container, resilient means on each valve, means to operatively connect said resilient means of one valve and the valve opening means of a succeeding valve, said resilient means operated by the pressure of the fluid released from its container and means to lock said resilient means in an operated position, said locking means held in a locking position by the fluid pressure during discharge of its container and released from said locking position by the drop of said fluid pressure on completion of said discharge.

16. Apparatus for extinguishing a fire, comprising two or more containers for holding liquefied gas under pressure, a discharge system from said containers to a discharge nozzle and means to discharge said containers one at a tim into said discharge system, said discharge mean including a quick opening valve in each container, means to open the valve of each container to discharge its fluid contents, said valve opening means including a rotating sleeve for each valve, sleeve operating rod means between each two valves pivoted to the sleeve of one valve and normally out of operative position with the sleeve of an adjacent valve, guide means for the free end of said rod means to direct said rod means into operative position with the sleeve of said adjacent valve whereby the rotation of the sleeve in opening the first valve will place the free end of said rod means in operative position with the sleeve of a succeeding valve and whereby the rotation of the sleeve in closing said first valve will rotate the sleeve and open said succeeding valve, and resilient means for each of said valve sleeves. said resilient means operated by the pressure of the fluid released from a container, and said operated resilient means rotating the sleeve and closing the valve of said container when its contents have been discharged.

17. Apparatus for extinguishing a fire, comprising containers for holding liquefied gas under pressure, a discharge system from said containers to a discharge nozzle and means to discharge said containers one at a time into said discharge systern, said discharge means including a quick opening valve in each container, means to open the valve of each container to discharge its fluid contents, said valve opening means including a rotating sleeve for each valve, sleeve operating rod means between each two valves, one end of said rod means pivoted to the sleeve of the first valve and the other end of said rod means normally out of operative position with the sleeve of an adjacent valve, guide means to direct the free end of said rod means into operative position with its adjacent valve sleeve when said first sleeve is rotated to open its valve, said guide means directing the free end of said rod means out of operating position with said adjacent valve sleeve during the final part of the movement of said adjacent valve sleeve while said adjacent valve sleeve is being rotated to open its valve.

18. In means to discharge a series of containers holding liquefied gas under pressure into a discharge system one at a time, the combination therewith of a quick opening valve in each container, means to open each valve to discharge the fluid contents of its container, said valve opening means including a rotating sleeve, means to operatively connect adjacent sleeves during the opening of one of two adjacent valves and disconnect said sleeves on the closing of said opened valve, resilient means for each of said valve sleeves, means to compress the resilient means of an opened valve by the pressure of the fluid released from a container by said opened valve, said resilient compressing means operatively connected to the sleeve of said opened valve to close said opened valve by the extending of said resilient means at the drop of said fiuid pressure on the completion of the discharge from said container and to open its adjacent valve.

19. In means to discharge a series of containers holding liquefied gas under pressure into a discharge system one at a time, the combination therewith of a quick opening valve in each container, means to open each valve to discharge the fiuid contents of its container, said valve opening means including a rotating sleeve, means to operatively connect adjacent sleeves during the opening of one of two adjacent valves and disconnect said sleeves on the closing of said opened valve, resilient means for said valve sleeves, a piston to compress said resilient means, means to operatively connect said piston with the sleeve of an opened valve, means to convey fiuid pressure from the container of said opened valve to operate said piston and compress said resilient means, ratchet means to lock said piston in its position of compressing said resilient means and means to release said ratchet means on completion of the fluid discharge from the container of said opened valve.

20. In means to discharge a series of containers holding liquefied gas under pressure one at a time, the combination therewith of a quick opening valve in each container, a rotating sleeve for each valve, means to operatively connect adjacent sleeves, means to rotate a sleeve in one direction to open a valve and discharge the fluid contents of a container and means to rotate said sleeve in the opposite direction to close said opened valve and release the valve of a succeeding container, said means to close an opened valve including a cylinder, two pistons in said cylinder, a spring for each piston, means to convey fluid pressure from said discharging container to said cylinder to operate said pistons and compress their respective springs, means to connect the first piston to the sleeve of said opened valve, ratchet mean to hold said first piston in its spring compressing position and means connecting the other of said pistons and said ratchet means, said other piston operated by its spring when released by the drop in fluid pressure from said discharging container to release said ratchet means and allow said first piston to be operated by its spring to close said opened valve.

GEORGE SCHAAF. 

